The Time Paradox
by CharonKatharsis
Summary: It takes a very long time to repair the Bifrost. Many years after he left, Thor returns to Midgard to see his friends and Jane again but time is not kind to human beings. Or to gods. Rated T for mention of CharDeath.


It had taken a very long time before the Bifrost had been repaired. A very, very long time. In the meantime Thor had ascended the throne as king of Asgard. He and his friends had fought two great wars against giants. Loki had finally chosen to fight side by side with Thor and even protected them from a defeat – at a high cost. It had taken months to free him. A draught had destroyed most of Idun's appletrees and only with the combined sorcery of Odin, Freya, Heimdall, Idun and Loki had they been able to restore them. Thor's engagement with Lady Sif. A new treaty with Joutunheim. So many things had happened whilst the Biforst slowly grew back. And then the time had come for Thor to finally head back to Midgard.

It all looked different, but at least the Stark tower was still there to guide him to his friends. As always, the robotic voice of Jarvis greeted him.

„It has been a long time, since your last visit, Thor. Please take a seat in the lounge, while I alert my master." Thor did as he was told and not long after an old man on crutches appeared. He adjusted his big glasses and after some moments he seemed to recognize him.

„Thor, is that you?" The old man came closer.

„Yes, it is. You haven't changed at all. I'm sorry, I'm the only one here to greet you." Thor was puzzled, he couldn't tell who that man was.

„Where is the man of iron who resides here?" The old man shook his head.

„It sure has taken some time so you might not know. Tony Stark is dead. Actually he has been dead quite some time already." He sighed and took a seat on the sofa.

„You look confused. I thought a „god" should know such things." Thor shook his head.

„I did not know. How long has it been? And how do you know me, old man?" A short snort was heard from the man.

„I see, you don't recognize me. Well, of course you don't, my buddy. We've fought together back then. I'm Steve Rogers... I used to be Captain America, you know." He nodded as if he wanted to reassure himself.

„It was I who became leader of the Avengers. It has been more than sixty years already. I'm afraid most of our team no longer exist." Thor tried to find the likeliness this old man and the one he had known as Captain America shared, but he couldn't. But the old man simply proceeded.

„Well, actually Stark was the first one to go. Not unexpected. I can't remember too well, but I think it was about fifty years ago. You know, he was always a sot but he refused to stop and he refused to at least be a little sensible. He made some mistakes when he worked on his suit while drunk and – boom – that was that. It exploded and we were left with some pieces." He laughed a short and humorless laugh before it turned into a dry cough.

"We did keep up with our work, yes, we did. Tony had at least been smart enough to leave his fortune to the Avengers' initiative and we could keep this tower here as our base. I do recall when we moved in here. Well, not Agent Romanov and Agent Barton, they never moved in here and Dr. Banner only for a short time. For several years, I think he lived here about eight years or he would have.. but he preferred the calm he found in Calcutta." The old man shrugged.

"Never understood him anyway. A strange guy. Agent Romanov and Agent Barton, too, were strange but at least they came here often. For the briefings. When we had new team members – and we did have several new team members, you know? And sometimes just like that. And one day... they went to Europe to never be seen again. Maybe they finally got married or they got themselves killed, who knows? Even Fury could not find them. Ah, yeah... Fury is dead as well. I don't know about the others, though. But Fury, this I know, Fury got shot several times and that was it then." Thor had listened and found himself incapable of understanding. He had known the human life to be a short one but it hit him that he had never understood what it meant.

"Do you know... about her?" He wished he had asked Heimdall about his friends and about Jane but he had simply not thought about it enough.

"Jane Foster, you mean? Yes, I know about her. Many people do. She made herself quite a name... a luminary in her field of expertise. She lived her life for research and even though many were skeptical of her theses, she was a renowned scientist. Professor even." Thor smiled, it did sound like his Jane after all.

"Did she have... a good life?" How he regretted to not having been able to be by her side. The old man eyed him a little as if he was unsure who he was but then he continued.

"I would think so, but maybe you'd better ask her yourself, you know? She lives in New Mexico." The old man needed to say nothing further. Thor knew where he would find her.

"Thank you, Captain America-" the old man shook his hand.

"Don't call me that. I'm only Steve Rogers now."

"...so... thank you, Steve Rogers."

"We were waiting for you to return." The old man mused.

"I knew you would. If I knew where Barton was, he'd owe me twenty dollars." He laughed bitter.

"...I will return." Now the old man looked at him.

"Please, don't, Thor. I'm glad you came, but I wouldn't bare it once more. Seeing you, that is, and how time simply passed you by without... anything."

"So this is farewell now?"

"It is."

"One day we might meet in Valhalla."

"I hope not. You know... my heaven would be a little different."

"...I see."

"But thank you anyway." He rose from his seat with difficulty and saluted.

"Thor. It was an honor serving with you... back then."

"It was a pleasure."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Thor headed to New Mexico right afterwards. Jane lived. And maybe she had not given up on him. No, he knew she hadn't. That was why she lived there – as close to the portal as possible. And he had kept her waiting for long enough. He did feel a little guilt when his thoughts wandered from her to Sif, but those were two completely different matters. He had never forgotten Jane and neither had she forgotten him and he was grateful for that.

It felt like he was back in time, back to that day his father had cast him out and sent him to Midgard. The town looked almost the same. As if time had not been able to tarnish it at all. Just like Asgard, somehow. He remembered where he and Jane had spent this one night they had, on the roof of her... laboratory. He had described the nine realms to her and she had been looking to him and every once in a while up to the stars, too. In return she had explained her science to him, what she did and about her research. Without difficulty Thor found the building. It was changed but for the better. When he approached, the door opened and he could enter. Inside a young man with short black hair and glasses received him.

"You must be... Thor?" He mustered the god in front of him for some moments before he returned to the professionalism of a scientist.

"Professor Foster does await you upstairs. Follow me, please." He waited for Thor's affirmation and only then did he start walking. Without speaking further he brought Thor upstairs and knocked when they reached the last door of the corridor.

"Professor, your visitor is here."

"Come in." Even through the door and through the quietness of the voice that answered, Thor could hear the firmness it had. It was the voice of Jane, there was no mistaking it, changed to a certain degree but still his Jane. The woman who had opened his eyes to the true meaning of life. He entered.

Sitting on a big desk was an old woman with grey hair that was bound back to a loose bun. Her face was covered with wrinkles and her eyes seemed to be of a lighter color compared to his memories. She wore small glasses and still... there was no mistaking her. It was his Jane.

"Jane..."

"I always knew you would return, Thor. I never doubted it." She rose from her chair and approached him with the unexpected grace of youth.

"I promised."

"And you kept your promise. I tried my best to find a way to you sooner... but I was unable to." Somehow he wanted to console her.

"So you spent your life... looking for me? All these years?" She smiled at him, a warm smile free from any bitterness.

"I did. And there is no need to look like that, Thor."

"Like what?"

"You look as if you think I wasted my life. I did not. To me it was... you were always by my side even though you were not here. You guided me on my path and without you I might not have become what I am now." She sighed.

"My only regret is to not face you again as the woman I was back then but time is a cruel thing for humans, isn't it?"

"Maybe time is even crueler to those it passes by." Jane came to him and held out her hand. Carefully Thor grabbed it, afraid to damage this fragile thing.

"Will you be able to stay this time?" She asked, merely whispering.

"I will, Jane. This time I won't leave you." She leaned against him.

"Never again."

And Thor knew this time it would be Jane to leave him behind. Because for immortal beings time was cruel in its own way. The human life was short but the divine sorrow was never-ending until time itself ceased to exist.


End file.
